This time last year, it felt like everyone had made peace with BlackBerry failing, and seeing BB10 still so very far away, we were ready for it to be too little, too late. As 2012 started winding down, though, some glimmers of hope appeared, and as we approached the BB10 launch, it actually seemed like BlackBerry might just have a shot. Now that the Z10 is here, we should finally be able to tell whether or not all those expectations were correct, except that no one seems to have a solid grasp on its sales performance.

Some reports, like those from Pacific Crest, indicate that after an initial rush in nations where the Z10’s available, sales have seriously slumped, resulting in build-ups of inventory as stores are unable to move additional handsets.

On the other hand, you’ve got analyst firms like Jefferies & Company which report having traveled to a number of retailers stocking the Z10 and have found the sort of limited inventories or news of outright sell-outs that seem to indicate ongoing healthy consumer demand.

Until BlackBerry releases some official figures we may never know for sure, and markets like the US could still play a major role in the Z10’s success. Still, we’re anxious to get some hard numbers and finally know in what light to view BlackBerry’s recent attempt to reinvent itself.